Letters to the Church

In Romans , Paul presents his most detailed explanation of the “ Good News of God ,” a message centered on His Son, Jesus Christ. He was dealing with conflicts between Gentile and Jewish believers in the Assembly of Rome and preparing the ground for taking the Gospel to the western regions of the Roman Empire. In the process of doing so, he addressed several related topics, including death, redemption, the Law, resurrection, and the New Creation.

In the opening thanksgiving of his Letter to the Philippians , Paul prepares his readers for one of its key themes: Going on to perfection in Jesus . The promised bodily resurrection is necessary for the consummation of this process - It is an integral part of the future salvation that believers will receive when Jesus appears “ on the clouds of Heaven .” What God began in the Philippians at their conversion He will continue to perform until that day, “ the Day of Christ .”

The  Gospel of Matthew  begins by declaring that Jesus is the “ son of Abraham .” This is more than a genealogical notation. It sets the stage for the theme of fulfillment in this gospel account. The lowly man from Nazareth is the Messiah and King of Israel, the promised “ Seed ” of the Patriarch. In him, all the covenant promises find their fulfillment. He is the true Seed of Abraham, the heir of the covenant promises, and the receipt of the inheritance is based on faith in him.

The Son achieved the “ Purification of Sins ,” thereby qualifying to “ sit down at the right hand of the Majesty on High .” As the appointed High Priest “ after the order of Melchizedek ,” he now intercedes for his people in the very presence of God. Moreover, he inherited a “ more distinguished name ” than even the angels, namely, “ Son .” In its first chapter, the Letter to the Hebrews demonstrates that this “ Son ” and High Priest is superior to even creatures as glorious as the angels of God.

A key point of the  Letter to Hebrews  is the victory of the Son on behalf of his people, and consequently, his exaltation to the “ right hand ” of God as their High Priest “ after the order of Melchizedek .” He secured what none of his predecessors could. Through his self-sacrificial death, he “ achieved the purification of sins ,” then he “ sat down ” in the “ true and greater Tabernacle ” in God’s very presence where he now intercedes for his saints.